Best practices in wildlife rehabilitation for raptors including hawks, owls, falcons, and eagles.
Raptor rehabilitation presents distinctive welfare challenges because these birds experience extreme stress from human proximity. Unlike some companion animals, raptors have not adapted to human contact and find handling profoundly aversive. Welfare-optimal rehabilitation minimizes handling to essential procedures, uses low-stress restraint techniques, and provides appropriate housing that allows natural movement and limited human visibility. The goal of releasing a bird that can hunt, evade predators, and survive independently requires realistic assessment rather than emotional attachment to achieving a good outcome.